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AR01413228 

'•STERILITY  IS  LAID." 


PROF.  VILLE'S  NE¥  SYSTEM  OF  AGRICULTURE. 


AN  ADDRESS 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


BEDFORD,  N.  H.,  FARMERS'  CLUB, 

FEBRUARY    28,  1868. 


By    JOHN    A.    RIDDLE,  Esq. 


Published  by  request  of  Club.  Second  Edition. 

PRICE    TWENTY-FIVE  CENTS. 


Address  SOLOMON  MANNING,  Sec'y  of  Club,  Bedford,  N..H. 
Or  JOHN  A.  RIDDLE,  Manchester,  N.  H. 


I 

MANCHESTER,  N.H.: 

FEINTED    BY    CHARLES    F.  LIVINGSTON. 
1  8  6  8. 


5 

BEDFORD  (N.  H.)  FARMERS'  CLUB. 


Col.  GEORGE  W.  RIDDLE,  Chairman. 
SOLOMON  MANNING,  E^q.,  Secretary. 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE  STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 


Gen.  NATT  HEAD,  Hooksett,  President. 
AARON  YOUNG,  Esq.,  Portsmouth,  Secretary. 
Col.  GEORGE  W.  RIDDLE,  Bedford,  Treasurer. 

D  I  K  K  C  T  O  ]{ 

Gen.  NATT  HEAD,  Hooksett. 
Hon.  DAVID  GILLIS,  Nashua. 
WARREN  F.  DANIELL,  Esq.,  Franklin. 
EDWARD  GUSTINE,  Esq.,  Keene. 
J.  W.  COGSWELL,  Esq.,  Gilmanton. 


MERRIMACK   VALLEY  POULTRY  ASSOCIATION. 


FRANKLIN  TENNEY,  Manchester,  President. 
CHARLES  EVERETT,  Weare,  Vice  President. 
EDWIN  P.  RICHARDSON,  Manchester,  Secretary. 
GEORGE  W.  RIDDLE,  Bedford,  Treasurer. 

EXECUTIVE  committer: 

A.  W.  QUINT,  Manchester. 
VIRGIL  C.  OILMAN,  Nashua. 
W.  G.  GARMON,  Manchester. 
JOHN  B.  SANBORN,  East  Concord. 
WILLIAM  T.  EVANS,  Manchester. 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


A  D  D  K  E  S  S . 


It  has  long  been  conceded  that  if  the  ordinary  farmer 
could  ascertain  the  essential  constituents  of  the  soil  of 
each  field  he  was  cultivating,  so  that  he  could  adapt  his 
crops  to  the  soil,  it  would  be  of  vast  advantage  to  him. 

In  this  early  day  of  Agricultural  Colleges,  few  farmers 
possess  the  requisite  knowledge  to  make  an  analysis  of 
soils  in  accordance  with  present  chemical  rules  ;  and  if 
they  did,  such  are  the  imperfections  of  that  system  that 
little  practical  good  Avould  be  derived  therefrom. 

While  we  were  engaged  in  suppressing  a  gigantic  rebel- 
lion which  threatened  the  very  life  of  our  country,  a  man 
in  Europe,  having  every  advantage  of  position  and  sci- 
ence, perfected  a  system,  w^hich  having  been  tested  from 
flower -pots  to  large  fields,  culminated  in  presence  of  hun- 
dreds of  farmers  and  others  who  had  met  to  witness  the 
crops  as  they  were  being  harvested,  and  convinced  the 
most  incredulous. 

An  English  writer  says  :  "  It  is  not  extravagant  in  stat- 
ing that  light  has  thus  replaced  darkness  ;  that  order  has 
succeeded  chaos,  and  that  the  phantom  of  sterility  is 
laid." 

An  American  writer  says:  "It  is  impossible  to  doubt 
or  question  the  importance  of  his  investigations. " 

For  four  years  previous  to  1864,  many  curious  visitors 
Vr'cre  shown  plots  of  ground  manured  and  sown  in  accord- 
ance with  Prof.  YiLLE's  system.  Some  of  them  had  been 
planted  four  times  in  succession  with  the  same  kind  of 


4 


crop,  giving  at  the  commencement  Avhat  he  calls  a  com- 
plete manure,  and  adding  3^early  the  ingredients  principal- 
ly absorbed  b}^  the  crop.  Upon  others  the  crops  were 
changed  yearl}',  so  that  each  year  the  particular  crop  re- 
quired principally  a  different  agent,  then,  after  passing- 
through  the  series  furnished  by  the  complete  manure,  the 
ingredient  principally  required  by  the  crop  proposed 
should  be  added  till  the  crop  showed,  by  a  falling  off,  that 
the  complete  manure  was  again  wanted.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances the  crops  reached  to  results  of  irrefutable  elo- 
quence. Still  other  plots  with  one  and  another  of  the  el- 
ements omitted,  in  which  vegetation  was  feeble  and  almost 
nothing  in  proportion  to  the  quantit}^  and  quality  of  the  el- 
ement omitted,  thus  furnishing  a  means  of  ascertaining  the 
comparative  richness  of  soils. 

Asrriculture  has  little  need  to  concern  itself  about  the 
ingredients  which  are  found  in  sufficient  quantity  in  nearly 
all  soils,  as  silica,  alumina,  manganese,  iron,  chlorine,  etc.  ; 
but  to  those  which  exist  in  slight  proportions,  and  Avhich 
are  essential  to  the  growth  of  plants,  since  vegetation  is 
impossible  without  them,  as  phosphate  of  lime,  potash  and 
lime. 

Each  plant  contains  all  these  essentials,  but  in  different 
proportions,  as  wheat,  corn,  barley,  rye,  etc.,  contain 
more  phosphate;  beans,  peas,  potatoes,  etc.,  both  phos- 
phate and  potash ;  hay,  etc.,  more  lime.  The  phosphate  of 
lime  is  largely  obtained  from  bone,  and  no  fjirmer  should 
allow  a  single  one  to  be  lost.  Dr.  Nichols  in  his  ''Chem- 
istry of  the  Farm  and  Sea,"  gives  the  following  directions 
for  preparing  ])ones  : 

*'Take  a  sound  common  molasses  cask,  divide  in  the 
middle  with  a  saw,  into  one  half  of  this  place  half  a  barrel 
of  Jinely-gvomid  bone,  and  moisten  it  with  two  buckets  of 
water,  using  a  hoe  in  mixing.  Have  ready  a  carboy  of  oil 
of  vitriol,  and  a  stone  pitcher  holding  one  gallon.  Turn 
out  this  full  of  the  acid,  and  gradually  add  it  to  the  bone, 


5 


constantly  stirring.  As  soon  as  effervescence  subsides, 
fill  it  again  with  acid  and  add  as  before  ;  allow  it  to  remain 
over  night,  and  in  the  morning  repeat  the  operation,  add- 
ing two  more  gallons  of  acid.  When  the  mass  is  quiet, 
add  al)out  two  gallons  more  of  water,  and  then  gradually 
mix  the  remaining  half  barrel  of  bone  and  allow^  it  to  rest. 
The  next  day  it  may  be  spread  upon  a  floor,  Avhere  it  will 
cUy  speedily  if  the  weather  is  warm.  A  barrel  of  good 
loam  may  be  mixed  with  it  in  drying.  It  may  be  beaten 
fine  with  a  mallet,  or  ground  in  a  plaster  mill.  If  several 
casks  are  used,  two  men  can  prepare  a  tun  of  excellent 
superphosphate  after  this  method  in  a  day's  time.  * 

Again,  take  100  lbs.  of  bone  beaten  into  fragments  small 
as  possible,  pack  them  in  a  tight  cask  or  box  with  100  lbs. 
of  good  wood  ashes ;  mix  with  the  ashes  before  packing 
25  lbs.  of  slaked  lime  and  12  lbs.  of  salsoda,  powdered 
fine.  It  w^ill  require  about  20  gallons  of  water  to  saturate 
the  mass,  but  more  may  be  added  from  time  to  time  to 
maintain  moisture.  In  two  or  three  weeks  the  bones  will 
be  broken  down  completely,  and  the  whole  mass  may  be 
turned  out  upon  a  floor,  and  mixed  with  two  bushels  of 
dry  peat  or  good  soil  and  after  drying  it  is  fit  for  use.'' 

Extensive  quarries  of  minerals,  containing '  a  large  per 
cent,  of  phosphate  of  lime,  are  found  scattered  over  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  in  chalk  coprolites,  fossil  bones, 
nodules,  apatite,  &c. 

Potash  is  principally  obtained  from  wood  ashes  :  other 
sources  are  becoming  known,  as  the  water  of  the  first 
washing  of  greasy  wool,  the -mother  waters  in  the  manu- 
facture of  salt,  felspathic  rocks,  c^c.  A  French  agricul- 
tural writer,  alluding  to  the  large  quantity  of  potash  re- 
ceived from  America,  says  :  "It  is  an  excellent  thing  that 
the  wild  desert  should  be  impoverished  to  enrich  the  in- 
dustry' of  civilized  countries." 

Lime  is  obtained  from  the  inexhaustible  beds  of  lime- 
stone throughout  the  country. 


6 


These  essential  elements  combined  with  a  nitrogenous 
matter,  and  added  to  any  kind  of  >s(^il,  suffice  to  render  it 
fertile  —  with  them  plants  can  actually  be  fabricated. 

JVttroge/ious  matter  is  that  ^vhicli  contains  nitrogen  in  a 
suitable  condition  for  vegetation,  as  ammoniacal  salts  or 
nitrates.  The  sources  of  nitrogen  are  the  air,  ammonia 
from  gas  works  and  scAvage  water,  nitrate  of  soda  (salt- 
peter), decomposed  animal  matter,  urine,  &c.  (The 
urine  of  a  single  individual  is  estimated  to  be  of  more  value 
in  a  year  than  a  cord  of  manure.)  No  dead  animal  should 
be  thrown  away,  but  put  into  the  compost  heap  to  make  a 
very  rich  and  valuable  manure  —  a  slight  covering  of  muck 
or  loam  will  absorb  tlie  ammonia  so  as  to  render  it  inotien- 
sive. 

Prof.  YiLLE,  a  scientific  Frenchman,  after  fifteen  years 
experimenting,  substituted  for  soil  an  artificial  mixture, 
all  the  elements  of  which  were  clearly  defined.  In  this 
way  he  succeeded  in  producing  vegetation  in  })ots  of  china 
with  burnt  sand  and  perfectly  pure  chemicals.  Under 
these  circumstances  he  carried  on  the  four  following  ex- 
periments,  viz  : 

1.  Burnt  sand  alone. 

2.  Sand  with  a  nitrogenous  substance. 

3.  Sand  with  minerals  only.  (PhosphaU'  of  lime, 
potash  and  lime.) 

4.  Sand  with  the  nitrogenous  substance  and  minerals. 
He  sowed  on  the  same  day,  in  each  pot  20  grains  of  the 

same  wheat,  of  the  same  weight,  and  kept  them  moist 
with  distilled  water  during  the  entire  period  of  vegetation. 
At  the  harvest  the  following  facts  were  observed,  viz  : 

No.  1.  The  plant  was  very  feeble^  the  crop,  dried, 
weighed  only  93  grains. 

No.  2.  The  crop  still  very  poor,  was,  however,  better 
than  No.  1,  —  it  weighed  140  gra.ins. 

No.  3.  It  was  a  little  inferioi"  to  the  preceeding,  —  it 
weighed  123  grains. 


7 


No.  i.    It  weighed  370  grains. 
.  From  these  experiments  we  conchicle  that  each  of  the 
agents  fulfils  a  separate  and  combined  action,  as  the  effect 
in  combination  was  much  better  than  that  produced  sepa- 
rately. 

With  nitrates,  lime  and  potash,  leaving  out  the  phos- 
phate of  lime,  vegetation  is  not  possible — the  seeds  ger- 
minated and  scarcely  arrived  at  four  inches  in  hight ;  the 
plants  withered  and  died.  A  mixture  of  lime  and  potash 
is,  therefore  injurious  to  vegetation,  unless  united  with 
phosphate  of  lime.  If  with  the  same  agents  a  trace  (one 
hundred  thousandth)  of  phosphate  of  lime  be  added,  you 
will  obtain  a  plant — meagre  it  is  true,  but  which  does  not 
wither  and  die. 

With  phosphate  of  lime  in  sufficient  quantity,  the  crop 
rises  to  370  grains.  If  the  potash  be  left  out  the  plant 
does  not  die,  but  the  crop  is  inferior  to  that  given  by  ni- 
trates alone, — it  descends  to  123  grains.  Potash  is  then 
less  indispensable  than  phosphate  of  lime,  as  its  absence 
does  not,  as  with  the  phosphate,  cause  the  death  of  the 
plants.  Experiment  has  shown  that  soda  cannot  be  sub- 
stituted for  potash.  No  substitute  of  the  essential  ele- 
ments of  plant-food  is  possible  —  the  plant  detects  the 
slightest  shade  of  difference.  Without  potash,  soda  exer- 
cises no  influence  upon  the  yield — therefore  with  regard 
to  wheat,  potash  is  of  the  first  importance. 

In  the  absence  of  lime,  the  crop  weighed  340  grains  in- 
stead of  370  with  the  combined  agents  or  complete  manure. 

This  seems  to  indicate  that  lime  plays  only  a  secondar}' 
part,  but  practice  obtains  WAy  good  effects  from  its  use. 

Substitute  sand  and  humus  (vegetable  mould),  for  sand 
without  lime,  the  yield  remains  the  same,  340  grains — the 
humus  has  no  action  either  useful  or  injurious,  but  if  we 


*Gkokge  E.  "White,  Esq.,  ofNew  York,  says  :  Experiments  have  led  nie  to  believe  that  with 
sulphate  of  so(la  ?.vii>5titntc(l  for  potash  in  the  formula,  the  same  or  nearly  the  gamp  result  Is  ob- 
tained,. 


8 


add  the  lime  (in  the  state  of  carl)onate)  in  this  same  ex- 
periment, the  yiekl  rises  to  493  grains. 

The  seed  being  eqnal  to  1 ;  the  crop  with  complete  man- 
ure equals  23  ;  less  nitrates,  8.83  ;  less  potash,  6.57  ;  less 
phosphate  of  lime,  0.77  and  died;  less  lime,  21.62;  add 
humus  33.35. 

The  lime,  which  in  the  absence  of  all  orgam'c  matter, 
influences  the  yield  but  little,  manifests  a  very  decisive  ac- 
tion in  the  presence  of  humus.  Humus,  alone,  produces 
no  effect. 

These  experiments  show  that  to  produce  plants,  the  soil 
must  contain,  in  a  condition  suitable  for  plants,  nitrates, 
phosphate  of  lime,  potash  and  lime,  and  to  assure  the  ben- 
efit of  the  lime,  the  presence  of  humus  is  indispensable. 

It  will  noAv  be  seen  why  agricultural  experiments  made 
upon  soils  more  or  less  fertile,  have  not  and  cannot  lead  to 
any  practical  conclusion. 

If  an  agriculturist  had  the  idea  of  adding  to  a  field  al- 
ready containing  phosphate  of  lime,  a  manure  containing 
nitrogenous  matter,  potash  and  lime,  he  would  obtain  a 
magnificent  harvest — he  would  sound  the  praises  of  his 
manure.  Others,  trying  the  same  experiments,  upon  fields 
w^hich  happen  to  contain  no  phosphate  of  lime,  will  be  sad- 
ly disappointed,  as  this  manure  will  loiver  the  yield,  and 
will  be  iyijurious^  unless  accompanied  by  phosphate  of 
lime. 

We  have  seen  that  four  essential  agents  are  sufficient  to 
assure  fertility  of  soils,  and  that  the  suppression  of  one  of 
them  lowers  the  yield  to  a  very  important  extent.  If  a 
soil  is  naturally  provided  with  phosphates,  its  suppression 
in  the  manure  will  produce  no  bad  effect.  Whenever  the 
manure  Avithout  phosphates  produces  a  crop  equal  to  that 
which  does  contain  it,  we  may  conclude  that  the  soil  is  nat- 
n rally  provided  with  it.  The  same  holds  good  in  regard 
to  lime,  potash  and  nitrates.  CuUivate  the  same  soil  with 
manure  deficient  in  each,  and  accovdilig  as  they  produce 


9 


good  or  bad  crops,  draw  your  conclusions  as  to  the  pres- 
ence or  absence  of  these  agents  of  fertility. 

This  new  method  banishes  all  hypothesis,  as  it  rests  up- 
on the  following  facts,  proved  by  experience,  viz  : 

1.  Minerals  and  assimilable  nitrates  produce  good 
crops  everywhere  ;  used  separately,  they  are  always  with- 
out effect. 

2.  Lime  is  useful  only  in  presence  of  humus. 

3.  Lime  and  humus  produce  great  effects  only  in  pres- 
ence of  minerals  and  nitrates. 

This  method  adapts  itself  to  all  the  wants  of  the  flirmer. 
since,  it  is  sufficient  to  scatter  a  few  handsful  of  a  known 
fertilizing  manure  upon  a  field  to  indicate,  at  the  time  of 
harvest,  what  the  soil  contains,  what  it  wants  and  conse- 
quently wdiat  must  be  added  to  it  to  render  it  fertile. 

It  is  practicable,  as  it  requires  no  difficult  manipulation, 
no  apparatus,  and  employs  only  the  usual  processes  of  cul- 
tivation. 

The  following  are  the  results  obtained  in  three  different 
soils,  compared  with  those  given  by  burnt  sand  under  sim- 
ilar conditions  : 


Burnt  Sand 

No.  1.  

No.  2  

No.  3  


•1 
11 


COMPLETE  MANUKE. 


()    I  7 

6    I  s 


28 


Reasoning  in  the  same  manner  with  regard  to  the  other 
elements,  it  contains  neither  nitrates,  potash,  nor  lime  since 
in  their  absence  it  is  not  more  fertile  than  burnt  saud  ;  on 


li) 


tlio  other  htincl,  it  contains  traces  of  phosphate  of  lime,  for 
where  it  was  not  added,  it  yielded  a  light  crop,  while  in 
the  sand  the  plants  invariably  perished. 

The  soil  of  No.  2  contains  humus,  a  little  nitrogenous 
matter,  a  little  potash  and  a  very  small  quantity  of  phos- 
phates. 

The  soil  of  No.  3  is  rich  in  humus,  phosphates,  potash 
and  lime,  but  poor  in  nitrates. 

These  are  positive  data,  which  we  can  employ  in  fertiliz- 
ing soils  ;  let  us  see  to  what  extent  they  were  veritied  in 
practice  on  a  large  scale. 

WHEAT.  — CROP    PER  ACRE. 


AVERAGE  OF  THREE   YEARS  CROPS. 


■s. 

9 

i 

c 
at 

a 
•— 

s 

£ 

O 

5 

5 

c 

a 

c 

lbs. 

lbs. 

lbs. 

lbs. 

lbs. 

11,001 

8,580 

10,117 

11,059 

5,903 

:5.(]17 

4,:U3 

4.721 

4,825 

1G,904 

io,.5(;i) 

12,893 

14,838 

15,884 

This  table  shows  that  without  phosphates  the  crop  was 
nearly  equal  to  that  with  a  complete  manure  —  without  pot- 
ash, it  sensibly  diminished;  without  nitrogenous  matter, 
it  was  very  inferior.  The  complele  mannre  gives  an  in- 
crease over  that  w^ithout  nitrates,  ()0  per  cent.  ;  without 
minerals,  31  per  cent.  ;  without  i)ota.':h,  15  per  cent.  ; 
without  phosphate,  7  per  cent.  These  results  are  almost 
exactly  like  those  derived  from  experiments  on  a  small 
scale. 

The  plant,  therefore,  becomes  one  of  the  most  perfect 
instruments  of  analysis,  the  only  one  in  the  pr<?§ent  state; 


11 


of  science,  capable  of  making  known,  practically,  the 
composition  of  soils. 

Bnrnt  sand  and  complete  niannre  withont  phosphate 
causes  the  death  of  plants. 

In  the  soil  from  No.  1,  the  same  componnd  gave  a  crop 
equal  to  6,  which  proves  small  quantities  of  phosphate  of 
lime  in  the  soil;  if  one  hundred -thousandth  of  phosphate 
of  lime  be  added  to  the  burnt  sand  and  complete  manure, 
except  phosphate,  the  yield  rises  to  G,  showing  with  cer- 
tainty the  presence  of  one  hundred -thousandth  of  phos- 
phate of  lime  in  the  soil  of  Xo.  1. 

The  accuracy  of  this  method  in  relation  to  the  other  el- 
ements is  no  less  remarkable.  Three  ten -thousandths  of 
potash  cause  the  yield  to  pass  from  8  to  32.  One  ten- 
tliousandtli  of  lime,  in  presence  of  humus,  raises  it  from 
12  to  24.  We  are  then  in  possession  of  a  means  of  analy- 
sis, the  perfection  of  which  yields  in  no  respect  to  the 
most  delicate  processes  of  the  chemical  laboratory,  the 
results  of  which  are  verified  exactly  by  cidtivation  on  large 
scale,  capable,  consequently,  of  throwing  a  sure  light  upon 
agricultural  operations.  To  put  it  into  practice,  the  agri- 
culturalist will  onl}^  have  to  reserve  some  square  plots  in  a 
field,  to  which  he  will  give  complete  and  partial  manures 
of  the  following  composition  for  the  surface  of  an  acre  : 

COMPLETE  MANURE. 


Xitrate  of  Soda.  (Nitro 
genous  matter)  

Carbonate  of  Potash  

Phosphati*  of  Lime  

Quicklime  


488  Ibi 
352  " 
352  " 
132  " 


552  lbs 


13- 


4t^8  lbs. 


352  lbs 
132  " 


4SS  lbs. 
352  " 


132  lbs 


12 


At  the  harvest  he  will  carefully  note  the  results  obtahied, 
Mud  for  the  following  year  he  will  fix  u[)on  that  which  hi- 
soil  retjuires,  and,  consequently,  upon  that  which  he  must 
add  to  render  it  fei'tile.  Dr.  Nichols,  in  his  "Chemistry 
of  the  Farm  and  Sea,"  says  the  sulphate  of  magnesia 
should  be  added  on  New  Enirland  soil.  We  can  by  this 
method,  ascertain  the  agricultural  properties  of  soils,  and 
by  its  aid  construct  true  agricultural  maps,  hy  means  of 
experimental  tields  disseminated  through  the  country 
upon  lands  belonging  to  the  difl'erent  geological  formations. 

There  exists  four  regulating  agents  ^96??^  excellence  in  the 
production  of  vegetables  :  nitrogenous  matter,  phosphate 
of  lime,  potash  and  lime.  To  preserve  to  the  soil  its  fer- 
tility, we  must  supply  it  periodically  with  these  four  sub- 
stances in  quantities  equal  to  those  removed  by  the  crops. 
All  arable  land  contains  a  portion  of  these  necessary  ele- 
ments. It  has  long  been  aelmitted  that  the  soil  will  not 
yield  crops  without  manure,  and  the  best  manure  found  in 
practice  is  the  dunghilL 


ANA!.VSIS  OF  MANIJKES  FHOM  DlFl'EHENT  ANIMALS.— 


FRESH  EXCREMENT. 

FRESH  URINE. 

IN  1,000  POUNDS. 

Nitrogen. 

Soda  and  potash. 

Phosphate. 

Nitrogen. 

Soda  and  potnsh. 

■a" 

lbs. 
3 

lbs. 
1 

lbs.  i 

n  ' 

lbs. 

8 

lbs. 
U 

15 

lbs. 

a 

1h 

12 

3 

(] 

i 

U 

'20 

h 

Wiui  

7 

0 

2 

Human  . 

10 

2 

13 


Of  100  lbs.  of  nitrogen,  in  the  food  of  a  cow,  40  are 
lost,  48  remain  in  tlie  manure,  and  12  goes  to  milk. 

To  obtain  this  manure  we  must  raise  or  keep  stock ;  to 
feed  it  requires  pasture.  If  all  the  crops  are  consumed  on 
the  farm  hy  the  animals,  we  find  in  their  excrements  al- 
most the  whole  of  the  phosphates  and  potash  contained  in 
their  food.  About  two -thirds  of  the  nitro2:en  would  be 
returned  to  the  soil  in  the  manure,  the  loss  of  the  other 
third  would  impoverish  the  farm  unless  an  equivalent  be 
found  in  clover  which  mostly  derives  its  nitrogen  from  the 
atmosphere.  Thus  the  raising  of  cattle  does  not  sensibly 
impoverish  the  farm. 

By  the  use  of  the  new  method  we  may  abolish  the  old 
practices  and  replace  them  by  a  simpler  agriculture,  more 
manageable  and  more  remunerative.  Instead  of,  by  great 
care  and  precaution,  maintaining  the  fertility  of  the  soil, 
w^e  reconstitute  it  by  means  of  the  four  agents  pointed  out, 
\\'hich  can  be  derived  from  the  great  storehouse  of  nature 
and  added  to  the  usual  stock  of  farm  manure.  N'o  rotation 
of  crops  is  necessary,  no  cattle.  ^Ve  produce  at  will  the 
crop  which  best  serves  our  interest  and  export  the  whole, 
if  to  our  advantrge.  AYe  cultivate  the  same  crop  upon 
the  same  soil,  indefinitely,  if  we  desire.  The  soil  is  mere- 
ly a  medium  of  production,  in  which  we  convert  at  pleasure 
the  four  agents  in  the  formation  of  plants  into  this  or  that 
crop  as  suits  us.  All  that  is  required  is  to  maintain  these 
four  elements  in  sufiicient  proportion  that  the  crops  may 
obtain  the  quantity  their  organization  demands.  AVe  hold 
the  balance  in  our  own  hands  and  as  one  of  the  scales  tends 
to  rise  we  restore  the  equilibrium  by  loading  the  other. 

In  the  old  system  the  balance  was  maintained  blindly, 
frequently  one  of  the  useful  elements  failed  and  the  crops 
were  also  deficient.  In  the  new,  the  plants  finding  in 
abmidance  all  they  require,  always  attain  their  largest  pos- 
sible growth ;  the  crops  are  also  much  mo  re  abundant  as 
may  be  seen  by  the  following  table  : 


14 


YIELD    PER  ACRE. 


OLD 

PROCESS. 

NFJW 

PROCESS. 

Wheat, 

Straw, 
Grain, 

S,2.30  lbs.| 
3,g:]9  "  S 

ll,88;t  lbs. 

1  Wheat,  - 

straw, 
Grain, 

15,270  lbs.) 
8,250  "  ) 

23,520  lbs. 

Peas  . . .  ' 

Straw, 
Grain, 

5,4U  "  ^ 
2,1G(;  "  \ 

7,610  " 

Peas  . . .  ■ 

Straw, 
Grain, 

10,014  "  ) 
2,840  "  ) 

12.8G3  " 

Beetroot 

Roots 

G,978  " 

jiSEETUOOT 

Roots, 

20,110  " 

Complete  manure  creates  fertility  every wiiere ;  l)iit  it  is 
not  necessary  always  and  everywhere  to  have  recourse  to 
♦  so  expensive  a  compound.  By  suppressing  the  nitrates, 
the  yield  of  wheat  is  considerably  reduced,  but  that  of  peas 
and  vegetables  is  not  affected.  Suppress  potash  and  the 
yield  of  vegetables  suffers  most;  phosphate  of  lime,  tur- 
nips, parsnips  and  roots  generally  will  show  the  w^orst  ef- 
fects. Thus,  in  each  kind  of  crop  there  is  one  element 
which  exercises  a  more  particular  influence  upon  the  yield. 

The  following  law  will,  therefore,  regulate  the  new  prac- 
tice : 

Although  the  presence  of  the  four  agents  of  fertility  in 
the  soil  is  necessary  and  indispensable  for  all  plants,  the 
necessities  of  various  cultivations  are  not  the  same  in  re- 
gard to  the  quantities  of  each  of  these  agents  ;  ie.  :  each 
crop  has  its  leading  one. 


ANALYSIS   OF  DIFFERENT  CROPS. 

(Patent  Office  Report.) 


Wheat 


Corn 


Oatp. 


Rye. 


Baulky, 


POTATOK.<  , 


Pka.s 


Beans 


Turnips 


Clover.  . 
Lucerne. 
Meadow  . 


I  Grain. 
( Straw. 

{Grain. 
Stalk  . 
j  Grain. 
I  Straw. 
^  Grain . 
[straw 
Grain. 


fctraw  . 
^  Tubers. 
[tods  .. 

{Peas. . . 
Straw  . 
j  Beans.. 
I  Straw  , 
( Bulbs. . 
(Tops  .. 


46.00 
5.00 

44.9 
7.1 

18.2 
2.6 

46.3 
3.8 

35.2 
3.1 

12.6 
7.6 

33.0 
4.8 

37.6 
7.2 
9.7 
9.3 
8.4 

13.7 
9.9 


12.00 
3.00 
1.4 
6.6 
7.7 
3.8 

11.2 
2.4 
8.6 
4.1 
0.3 
7.1 
8.5 
6.9 
8.00 
6.7 
3.6 
3.1 
8.4 
3.6 
4.9 


If  we  wish  to  cultivate  a  piece  of  poor  land,  we  begin 
by  giving  it  the  complete  manure  to  create  a  sufficiency  of 
the  four  agents  of  fertility.  We  raise  one  or  two  crops  of 
cereals  upon  this  manure  ;  then  give,  each  year,  the  dom- 
inant element  of  the  crop  Ave  propose  to  raise.  If  we 
adopt  a  rotation  of  four  years  with  such  crops  that,  at  the 
end  has  received  the  four  agents,  we  can  continue  thus  in- 
definitely without  ever  requiring  the  complete  manure. 


16 


The  same  system  is  applicable  to  a  fertile  soil ;  only  we 
may  dispense  with  the  first  dose  of  complete  manure,  and 
commence  with  the  dominant  element  of  the  first  crop  we 
desire  to  raise. 

If  Ave  wish  to  continue  the  same  crop  indefinitely,  we 
employ  its  dominant ;  taking  care  to  apply  the  complete 
manure  as  soon  as  a  reduction  in  the  yield  shows  the  neces- 
sity of  so  doing.  By  these  simple  combinations  we  are  in 
possession  of  a  new  method  of  agriculture  much  more  pow- 
erful than  its  predecessors. 

Formerly,  the  total  matter  placed  by  nature  at  our  dis- 
posal was  limited ;  all  that  the  old  systems  could  do  was 
to  maintain  the  fertility,  not  increase  it. 

Under  the  influence  of  the  new  method  matters  at  pres- 
ent without  value,  which  scarcely  serve  as  materials  of 
construction  and  of  which  nature  possesses  inexhaustible 
stores,  can  be  converted  into  vegetable  products,  forage, 
to  nourish  the  animals  upon  which  we  feed ;  and  cereals, 
to  produce  bread,  the  most  valuable  of  our  resources. 

To  combine  the  agents  of  fertility  which  have  reposed 
in  geological  strata  since  the  foundations  of  the  earth  were 
laid,  to  place  them  at  the  disposal  of  the  small  farmer,  will 
be  to  give  fertility  to  millions  of  acres  devoted  to  the 
small  fiirmer,  and  create  prosperity  among  millions  occu- 
pied in  agricultural  industr3\ 

Practical  experience  has  proved  that  with  this  complete 
manure  it  is  possible  to  raise  abundant  crops, — that  the 
increase  of  yield  has  been  more  than  three  tons  per  acre. 
The  following  results  show /or  themselves  : 

No.  1. — Wheat. — Third  crop  from  the  same  land  with- 
out fresh  manure  since  the  first  application. 


CROP    PER  ACRE. 


WirnOUT  MANURE. 

WITH  COMPLETE  MANURE. 

(Straw,....  704  lbs.) 

5,913  lbs.) 

No.  1... 

.....   f                         V  897  lbs. 

V  8,317  lbs. 

(Grain,....  198  "  ) 

2,464  " 

17 


No.  2. — Wheat. — Fourth  crop,  without  fresh  manure 
since  the  first. 


WITHOUT  MANURE. 


WITH  COMPLETE  MANURE. 


{ Straw,. . 

. .  1 ,074  lbs. ) 

4,629  lbs 

.) 

No.  2 

[  1,390  lbs. 

V  6,389  lbs. 

(Grain, . . 

..    316  " 

1,760  " 

No.  3. —  Colza  (a  species  of  cabbage). — After  two 
crops  of  barley,  without  fresh  manure. 


WITHOUT  MANURE. 


WITH  COMPLETE  MANURE. 


No.  ?,.... 

j  Straw,.... 5,632  lbs. 
(Grain  1,320  " 

-6,952  lbs. 

7.700  lbs. ) 

;     y  10,110  lbs. 
2,110  "  ) 

No.  4. 

— Beetroot. 

WITTHOUT  MANURE. 

WITH  COMPLETE  MANURE. 

1861  

(  Leaves           14,696  lbs.) 

(Roots,  44,616  "  ' 

-59,312  lbs. 

14,344  lbs.) 

V  62,304  lbs. 
47,960  "  ) 

.1862. 


(Leaves,   7,040  " 


(Roots,  12,056 

1863  Crops  destroyed  by  worms. 

(Leaves,   6,204  lbs. 

I  Roots,   16,544  " 


1  19,096  " 


1864. 


22,748  lbs. 


9,680  " 
21,820  " 

6,618  lbs. 
24,990  " 


31,500 


31,608  lbs. 


No.  5. — After  two  crops  without  manure, 

COMPLETE  MANURE. 


Leaves,  7,700  lbs. 

Roots  30,624 


)0  lbs.  ) 

>  38,324  lbs. 
24  "  ) 


No.  6. — After  three  fine  crops  of  wheat  withoujt  fresh 
manure. 

COMPLETE  MANURE. 


Leaves, 


Root. 


,  7,304  lbs.  ) 

>  44,130  lbs. 
36,826  "  ) 


18 


Extract  from  a  letter  of  Levi  Bartlett,  Esq.,  the  veteran  agricul- 
tural writer  of  Warner,  N.  H.,  in  review  of  Prof.  Ville's 
System  of  Agriculture. 

Col.  Geo.  W.  Riddle,  Bedford,  N.  H.: 

Sir  :  — Your  favor  of  March  27th,  and  the  address  by  John  A. 
Riddle,  Esq.,  were  duly  received,  for  which  please  accept  my 
thanks. 

The  subject  of  the  Address  is,  "  Complete  Manure  —  a  French 
method."  You  ask  me,  "  after  a  careful  perusal,  to  favor  you 
with  my  opinion  of  this  mineral  combination." 

I  have  given  the  address  a  "careful  perusal,"  and  think  the 
principles  Prof.  Ville  advocates  are  correct,  and  have  no  doubt 
that  intelligent  farmers  may  derive  much  benefit  in  their  farm  cul- 
ture,  in  carrying  out  the  system  of  manuring  he  sets  forth.  But 
really,  I  do  not  perceive  that  he  has  advanced  any  new  agricultu- 
ral facts  or  ideas. 

His  theory  is,  that  to  grow  maximum  crops,  four  of  the  essen- 
tial constituents  of  plant -fobd  are  necessary,  viz  :  *'  Phosphate  of 
lime,  potash  and  lime,  and  nitrogenous  matters,  such  as  ammoni- 
acal  salts  or  nitrates."  If  one  of  these  is  absent  from  the  soil, 
the  crops  fail.    No  doubt  of  this  ! 

The  same  facts  were  announced  by  Prof.  Liebig  more  than 
twenty  years  ago.  "  Seven  inorganic  bodies  found  in  the  ashes 
of  the  plant  are  absolutely  indispensable  to  its  growth.  A  soil 
wanting  these  cannot  yield  seed  capable  of  reproducing  its  kind. 
Some  soils  have  already  sufficient  sulphuric  acid  and  lime.  Gyp" 
sum  would  not  benefit  them.  Others  have  enough  of  all  the  re- 
maining ingredients,  but  lack  sulphuric  acid.  Gypsum  supplies 
the  deficiency.  Two  or  three  years'  culture,  or  perhaps  less,  ex- 
hausts another  ingredient.  Bone  dust  possibly  supplies  the  want. 
In  time  however,  still  another  recurring,  is  no  longer  present  in  the 
soil.  Potash  or  soluble  silica,  gypsum  in  never  so  large  a  quan- 
tity, contains  no  trace  of  phosphoric  acid  or  potash  or  silica." 

From  the  above  quotation  it  will  be  seen  that  Profs.  Liebig 
and  Ville  teach  about  the  same  doctrine,  except  Liebig  does 


19 


not,  or  did  not  at  that  time,  believe  in  the  necessity  of  adding  to 
the  soil  nitrogenous  manures,  while  Ville  does.  Now,  as  much 
as  I  respect  Liebig,  it  is  my  "  private  opinion"  that  he  was  in 
the  wrong  on  this  point. 

In  the  above,  I  think  Prof.  Ville  has  arrived  at  a  very  cor- 
rect conclusion.  If  a  soil  naturally  contains.a  full  supply  of  phos- 
phate, applying  more  to  it  is  like  "  carrying  coals  to  Newcastle." 
But  we  common  farmers  don't  know  whether  our  soils  contain 
enough  of  the  phosphate  of  lime  for  our  crops  or  not ;  so  we  pur- 
chase superphosphate  and  apply  it  to  our  lands,  and  somet^es  it 
makes  its  mark  on  our  crops,  and  sometimes  it  does  not.  If  it 
fails  to  increase  the  crops,  there  are  frequently  curses  loud  and 
deep,  and  long  uttered,  against  the  manufacturer  as  having  palmed 
off  worthless  trash,  branded  "  Superphosphate."  And  I  suppose 
there  is  sometimes  such  trash  sold ;  but  in  view  of  Prof.  Ville's 
conclusion,  a  genuine  article  may  fail  to  exhibit  any  favorable  ac- 
tion, from  the  fact  that  there  was  already  enough  of  this  ingredi- 
ent in  the  soil.  Now  the  farmer  purchases  a  genuine  superphos- 
phate, and  it  may  fail  to  increase  his  crop  this  year;  but  he  docs 
not  lose  his  purchase  money.  The  phosphate  will  remain  in  his 
soil  unwasted  for  years,  till  wanted  for  future  crops.  The  rains  of 
summer  and  the  melting  snows  of  winter  will  not  wash  it  from  the 
soil,  if  it  contains  a  fair  share  of  loam  and  clay.  Some  perhaps, 
may  feel  a  little  skeptical  upon  this  point.  If  there  are  any  such, 
I  trust  I  shall  be  able  to  remove  their  doubts  before  I  close  this 
paper. 

Now,  Col.  R.,  you  asked 'lifie  to  give  my  opinion  on  the  merits 
of  this  mineral  composition,  which  I  suppose  means,  do  I,  or  do  I 
not,  believe  that,  by  this  process  qf  manuring,  large  crops  can  bfe 
continuously  harvested  from  the  same  field,  and  its  fertility  kept 
up.  In  theory,  it  appears  very  plausible  that  this  "  complete  ma- 
nure," might  accomplish  all  that  is  claimed  for  it.  How  it  would 
practically  prove  in  the  long  run,  your  deponent  saith  not. 

Some  over  twenty  years  ago.  Prof.  Liebig  advanced  the  the- 
ory that  manuring  the  land  with  purely  mineral  manures,  corres- 
ponding with  the  ashes  of  this  or  that  particular  crop,  large  crops 
of  wheat,  oats,  barley,  &;c.,  &;c.,  could  be  annually  gathered,  dis- 
pensing wholly  with  farm -yard  and  other  nitrogenous  manures. 

Great  expectations  were  founded  upon  this  new  system  of  farm- 
ing.   The  thing  was  tried,  not  only  in  the  crucible  of  the  chem- 


20 


ist,  but  upon  the  broad  acres  of  the  British  farmers.  The  crops 
were  weighed  in  the  balance  and  "  found  wanting,"  and  now  there 
are  none  so  poor  as  to  do  reverence  to  the  purely  "  mineral  theory 
of.  Prof.  Liebig."  Had  he,  like  Prof.  Ville,  ordered  full  ra- 
tions of  ammoniacal  manures,  I  suspect  the  results  might  have 
been  different. 

There  are  numerous  well  -  attested  facts  that  prove  beyond  all 
cavil  that  the  application  of  mineral  manures  very  much  increase 
the  wheat  on  one  soil,  while  its  application  on  another  has  but  tri- 
fling effects. 

I  presume,  Mr.  Riddle,  that  you  are  aware  that  a  Mr.  La.wes, 
of  Bathhampstead,  England,  has  been  carrying  on  an  extensive 
series  of  wheat  -  growing  for  over  twenty  years.  He  has  sown  the 
same  plots  of  ground  year  after  year,  and  manured  with  the  same 
kinds  of  manure,  using  a  great  variety,  animal,  vegetable  and  min- 
eral, alone  and  in  various  mixtures.  But  here  I  can  only  give  the 
results  in  "  short  metre."  On  the  plots  continuously  cropped 
with  wheat,  the  yield  has  averaged  some  over  16  bushels  per  acre, 
without  manure  of  any  kind.  On  similar  plots,  freely  manured 
with  superphosphate  alone,  and  on  other  plots  maured  with  other 
different  mineral  manures,  the  average  yield  has  been  about  18 
bushels,*  while  on  other  plots,  manured  with  about  320  pounds  of 
sulphate  and  muriate  ammonia,  during  the  whole  term,  the  aver* 
age  yield  has  been  from  30  to  32  bushels  per  year. 

In  the  London  Agricultural  Gazette  of  March  7th,  1846,  there 
was  published  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Laaves  on  Superphosphate 
of  Lime,  in  which  he  says,  "  The  remarkable  increase  of  wheat 
which  followed  the  employment  of  superphosphate  of  lime  on  the 
farm  of  Mr.  Strout  (and  Mr.^Leigh)  will  probably  induce  many 
farmers  to  use  it  on  their  grain  crops,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining 
similar  results.  Having  manufactured  the  substance  for  some 
years,  in  very  large  quantities,  and  also  having  carefully  noticed 
the  effect  produced  by  it  on  a  variety  of  soils  and  crops,  I  will 
venture  to  offer  some  remarks  upon  the  subject,  which  will  ex- 
plain in  a  very  satisfactory  manner  the  discordant  results  which 
have  attended  its  applicatioil  on  grain  crops.  I  believe  it  would 
be  difficult  for  inj  one  to  point  out  an  instance  where  the  judi- 
cious employment  of  superphosphate  of  lime  upon  the  turnip  crop 
has  failed  to  produce  a  decided  benefit ;  but  when  applied  to  the 
grain  crop,  its  effects  have  been  most  irregular.    In  some  inst^n- 


21 


ees  the  crop  has  been  increased  one  half,  while  in  others  a  total 
want  of  effect  has  been  the  result  of  its  application." 

Mr.  Lawes  goes  on  to  say,  "  The  effect  of  superphosphate  of 
lime  upon  corn  crops  (and  the  same  is  true  with  any  other  of  the 
mineral  constituents  of  plants,)  depends  entirely  upon  the  amount 
of  nitrogenous  matter  in  the  soil."  Mr.  Lawes  had  only  nitrogen 
naturally  enough  in  his  soil  to  grow  about  17  bushels  of  wheat, 
but  phosphate  and  other  mineral  plant -food  to  grow  thirty- two 
bushels  of  wheat  —  but  lacked  the  nitrogen.  Supplying  this  de- 
ficiency, by  the  use  of  some  200  pounds  of  sulphate  and  muriate 
of  ammonia,  the  annual  yield  averaged  about  32  bushels. 

Mr.  Leigh's  soil  had  nitrogenous  matter  sufficient  to  grow  50 
or  more  bushels,  but  lacked  the  phosphate  of  lime  ;  by  the  appli- 
cation of  600  pounds  of  this,  it  c.\rried  the  yield  from  29  up  to  53 
bushels. 

Now  it  seemd  to  me  the  general  principles  of  manuring  land,  as 
laid  down  by  Liebig,  Ville,  and  Lawes,  do  not  differ  materi- 
ally, and  these  principles  are  so  plain  and  definite  "  that  a  child 
might  understand." 

Our  farmers  are  every  year  becoming  more  fully  aware  of  the 
necessity  of  manures  upon  our  long  -  cultivated  soils,  and  in  their 
eagerness  to  obtain  it  by  some  "hocus-pocus  process,"  some. of 
them  do,  occasionally,  get  awfully  shaved. 

Most  respectfully  yours. 

LEVI  BARTLETT. 


LIGHT    PLAIN  LAND. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Bedford  Farmer's  Club,  John  A. 
Riddle,  Esq.,  asked,  "  Do  our  light  plain  lands  contain  fertilizing 
ingredients?"  and  then  said: — 

A  farmer  who  lives  in  the  valley  of  the  Merrimack  informs 
me  that  he  planted  two  acres  of  the  plain  land  on  the  second  level 
^rom  the  river  with  corn,  using  no  manure,  but  only  applying  su- 
perphosphate of  lime  in  the  hill.  His  crop  was  equal  to  any  raised 
upon  what  was  called  better  land  with  manure,^  spnae  eighty 


22 


bushels  unshelled  corn  to  the  acre.  Now,  in  accordance  with 
Proi'.  Ville's  theory,  lately  brought  to  the  notice  of  this  Club, 
and  published  in  pamphlet  form,  there  must  be  other  elements  of 
plant  food  present  in  the  soil,  for,  with  the  superphosphate  alone, 
only  a  feeble  crop  could  be  raised.  It  shows  that  the  land  already 
contains  potash,  one  of  the  best  and  highest -priced  fertilizers. 

*'  Georoe  W.  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Providence,  11.  L,  who  has 
been  largely  engaged  in  manufacturing  superphosphate  for  several 
years  past,  has  been  carrying  on  a  series  of  experiments  upon  land 
quite  similar  in  character  to  vast  tracts  in  this  State. 

"  No  one  of  the  many  people  who  have  for  a  long  time  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  character  of  Seekonk  Plains  has  been  more  as- 
tonished, and  none  more  agreeably  so,  at  the  results  of  the  exper- 
iments, than  Mr.  Wilson  himself. 

"During  the  season  of  1867,  eleven  and  a  fourth  acres  in  corn 
yielded  eight  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  of  shelled  corn,  or  about 
eighty  bushels  to  the  acre.  Barley  gave  forty  bushels  to  the  acre ; 
oats,  thirty. 

'*  From  a  lot  of  a  little  less  than  sixteen  acres,  which  four  years 
ago  was  a  part  of  Seekonk  Commons,  he  took  off,  at  the  first 
mowing,  thirty -five  tons  of  hay,  and  at  the  second,  ten  large  loads. 
It  had  been  previously  cropped  two  years  with  corn,  and  one  year 
with  oats  and  barley.  These  effects  and  these  crops  were  unmis- 
takably due  to  the  fertilizer  (ammoniated  superphosphate  of  lime), 
and  its  mode  of  application,  —  by  composting. 

"Prof.  E.  N.  Horsford,  of  Cambridge,  says  in  relation  to  Mr. 
Wilson's  experiments,  directed  to  Mr.  W. :  '  The  extraordinary 
crops  of  cereals  during  the  last  few  years,  and  especially*  of  corn, 
produced  by  the  use  of  your  fertilizer,  on  the  exhausted  Seekonk 
Commons,  which  for  many  previous  years  had  been  scarcely  cov- 
ered by  a  loose  moss,  and,  without  heavy  manuring,  had  produced 
literally  nothing,  naturally  led  to  the  inquiry,  "  Where  do  these 
crops  get  their  potassa?"  The  abundant  crops  on  the  same  lands 
of  potatoes,  beets,  and  turnips,  all  of  which,  as  well  as  the  cereal, 
demand  potassa,  suggested  the  same  question. 

"  'The  porosity  of  the  soil,  which  permits  the  heaviest  rains  to 
be  rapidly  swallowed  up  and  leach  away,  only  embarrassed  the 
inquiry. 

"  'Soluble  potassa,  naturally  present  in  the  soil,  could  not  long 
remain  within  the  reach  of  the  roots  of  the  plants ;  and  yet,  as  the 


23 


fertilizer  docs  not  contain  potassa,  and  as  by  its  use  astonishing 
crops  have  been  produced  which  required  potassa,  the  ingredients 
could  only  come  from  the  soil;  moreover,  it  must  have  been  pres- 
in  the  soil  in  insoluble  form,  until  the  fertilizer  was  introduced. 

"  'Now,  for  the  most  part,  the  soil  is  a  drift -sand,  derived  from 
the  disintegrated  rocks  of  Eastern  Xew  England.  These  are 
known  to  be  mainly  gneiss  and  seinite,  composed  of  quartz,  feld- 
spar, mica,  and  hornblende,  with  small  proportions  of  other  min- 
erals, including  magnesian  and  calcareous  varieties. 

"  'From  these  the  crops  must  derive  whatever  of  nourishment 
is  not  drawn  from  the  air  or  supplied  by  manures.  From  these, 
which  in  a, state  of  greater  or  less  subdivision  exist  in  the  soil  of 
Seekonk  Commons,  enriched  only  by  acid  phosphate  of  lime,  sul- 
phate of  lime,  and  sulphate  of  ammonia,  crops  must  derive  their 
potassa,  and  to  some  extent  their  magnesia.  But  how  are  they  ob- 
tained r  This  was  ascertained  by  practical  experiment.  Feldspar, 
which  is  a  compound  of  silica,  potassa  and  alumina,  was  pulver- 
ized and  treated  with  acid  phosphate  of  lime.  The  free  phosphor- 
ic acid  of  the  superphosphate  of  lime,  seized  the  potassa  of  the 
feldspar,  disengaged  it  from  the  silica  and  alumina,  and  yielded 
soluble  phosphate  of  potassa.  This  explained  at  once  the  source 
of  the  potassa. 

"  'A  similar  experiment  with  steatite  showed  the  prompt  action 
of  the  acid  phosphate  o^  lime  on  this  magnesian  mineral. 

'The  second  quality  is  that  of  the  action  of  sulphate  of  am- 
monia on  the  magnesian  minerals  in  the  soil.  Mixed  wuth  pow- 
dered steatite  and  water,  it  rapidly  disengages  the  magnesia,  at 
the  same  time  disengaging  silica  in  a  form  for  ready  solution  in  the 
ammonia  of  rain -falls. 

"  'The  third  quality,  and  one  of  the  most  important,  is  the  ac- 
tion of  the  acid  phosphate  of  lime  in  the  reduction  of  crude  or- 
ganic matter  to  the  required  fineness  for  use  in  the  growth  of 
pjaj&ts.' "  — (7.  W,  Wilsons  Pamphlef. 


Read  the  following  carefully  and  mentally  digest  every  sentence  : 


CLARK'S  COMPOST  and  method  of  chemicalizing  mannre  and  tilling  the  soil,  rendering  the 
■whole  mass  of  manure  about  equal  to  the  best  guano  or  superphosphate  of  lime,  and  savini/  the 
farmer  fifty  per  cent,  of  hard  labor  in  tilling  the  soil.  The  chemicals  cost  about  three  dollars  per 
acre,  and  are  all  neat,  clean  and  easily  procured  in  all  New  England  towns.  This  ciif-micalized 
manure  is  adapted  to  all  kinds  of  soil,  especially  light  soil,  and  will  hold  out  when  laid  down  to 
grass  fifteen  or  twenty  per  c»  nt.  longer  than  crude  manure  ;  it  is  as  perfect  as  anything  can  be 
made  for  all  kinds  of  fruit  trees  and  vines,  giving  them  healthy  growth,  and  inducing  them  to 
fruit,  when  all  else  fails.  It  gives  little  or  no  trouble  to  prepare  it  and  herein  is  its  great  value 
The  receipt  for  top  -  dressing,  under  my  mana&cment,  will  cause  to  grow,  five  or  six  tons  of  hay 
per  acre,  and  using  only  one  cord  of  chemicalized  manure ;  it  will  do  the  same  for  all  others  un- 
der like  circumstances.  To  illustrate  its  eflctts  on  all  spring  crops,  a  farmer  may  take  twelve 
cords  of  crude  manure,  and  I  will  take  five  or  six  cords  and  chpmicalize  it,  and  produce,  at  least 
the  same  result  on  the  same  quality  of  soil,  and  not  do  but  about  half  the  amount  of  labor  he  does' 
There  must  be  no  fertilizer  put  in  the  hill  where  this  manure  is  used.  It  takes  the  place  of  the 
superphosphate.  To  sum  it  all  up  in  one  sentence,  give  me  an  old  worn  -  out  farm  whh  vitality 
all  exhausted,  and  two  cords  of  crude  manure  per  acre,  in  the  fall,  and  if  the  next  year  is  medi- 
um for  grass,  I  will  fill  the  old  barn  with  good  hay.  If  ever  it  was  filled  in  one  year  by  that  farm. 
My  seventeen  years  experimenting  was  conducted  on  just  such  a  farm.  1  am  now  prepared  to 
Impart  the  information  derived  from  those  experiments  to  all  who  desire  it.  One  receipt  is  for 
top  -  dressing,  the  other  for  all  spring  crops,  and  are  five  dollars  each.  Any  one  desiring  one  or 
both  of  them  can  have  them  by  copving  and  signing  the  following  obligation,  with  town  and 
state,  sending  it  to  me  together  with  the  money:  or  if  a  sufflcent  number  in  a  neighborhood  de- 
a'.re  me  to  deliver  them  in  person,  please  address  me. 

Obligation.  —  We  the  undersigned,  on  our  honors,  pledge  ourselves  not  to  divulge  the  secret 
of  Clark's  Compost,  or  compound  it  for  any  one  but  for  our  own  use^  unless  authorized  bv 
Josiah  Clark,  its  original  discoverer. 

N.  B.  — The  farmer  and  fruit  grower  will  see  by  my  advertisment  I  increase  the  value  of  the 
manure  only  50  per  cent. ;  but  in  reality  I  can  make  one  cord  equal  to  four  in  its  crude  state, 
and  the  material  for  chemicalizing  it  will  not  exceed  three  dollars  per  acre,  and  all  can  do  as  well 
•with  the  same  care.  I  desire  no  agents,  at  least  for  the  present.  The  above  statements  are  all 
true  to  the  letter ;  therefore  let  no  one  be  deterred  from  sending  for  fear  of  purchasing  a  humbug, 
for  that  is  an  article  I  never  deal  in. 

These  receipts  are  the  result  of  seventeen  years'  careful  and  patient  experimenting  and  ob- 
servation, working  by  and  folloAving  the  laws  of  nature  which  is  the  best,  surest,  and  safest 
teacher  in  all  agricultural  operations;  the  food  to  make  and  sustain  vegetable  or  animal  life 
must  be  in  accordance  with  nature's  laws,  or  both,  sooner  or  later,  must  sufTer  the  penalty  for  the 
violation.  No  scientific  man  will  pretend  to  say  an  impure  fertilizer  can  produce  healthy  and 
pure  vegetable  matter,  and  none  as  yet  but  that  are  satisfied  my  method  not  only  chemicalizes 
but  rectifies  the  manure,  making  it  healthy  for  all  vegetable  matter  to  feed  upon,  thus  giving  to 
vegetation  the  food  necessary  to  healthy  life  and  growth.  Beinj?  a  practical  farmer  desirous  of 
realizing  the  greatest  amount  from  the  least  amount  of  labor  the  above  results  were  obtained. 
Having  conducted  these  experiments  simply  for  my  own  gratification  and  pleasure,  without  ref- 
erence to  other  eyes  than  my  own,  my  land  is  not  in  so  good  a  condition  lor  exhibition  as  I  could 
desire,  yet  it  is  sufHciently  so  to  show  the  contrast  between  the  old  method  of  tilling  the  soil  with 
eight  or  ten  cords  of  crude  manure  per  acre,  and  three  or  four  cords  chemicalized,  also  four  cords 
crude  for  top  -  dressing,  and  one  chemicalized.  All  who  feel  disposed  are  invited  to  call  and  ex- 
amine. The  top  -  dressing  receipt  will  enable  a  farmer  to  keep  his  land  in  grass  without  ever 
plowing  unless  he  desires  to.  All  intending  to  use  this  receipt  should  have  it  by  the  first  of  Au- 
gust at  least,  and  not  later  than  October  first.  Don't  delay,  as  many  did  last  fal',  and  then  have  to 
regret  it. 

VoucHEUS. —  We  have  known  Mr.  Clakk  for  niuny  yeans :  he  is  a  man  of  good 
standing,  honest  and  respousible  ; 

FREDERICK  SMYTH,  Ex -Governor  of  New  Hampshire. 

PHINEAS  ADAMS,  Agent  Stark  Mills.  Manchester. 

WATERMAN  SMITH,  Manchester. 

.JOSEPH  B.  CLARK,  Ex -Mayor  of  Miuichester. 

JOHN  B.  CLARKE,  Editor  Mirror,  Manchester. 

Hon.  DANIEL  CLARK,  .Judge  U.  S.  Court,  Manchester. 


Po?t  Ofljco  address  :  9 


JOSIAH   CLARK,  Manchester,  N.  H. 


TO      ^"'^I^IMIEI^S  I 


Insure  a  large  and  early  crop  by  applying 


AITA  VELA  PHOSPHATE. 


Practical  farmers  in  all  parts  of  the  country  pronounce  it  to  be 
THE     IB  EST     3?"  3E3  Zl.  T  Z  Xj  X  SS  XS  m  . 

IT  CONTAINS  3  PER  CENT  OF 

A  M  M  O  JSf  I  A  , 

An  ample  quantity  to  give  activity  without  injury  ;  and  nearly  50  per  cent  of 

BONE     PHOSPHATE    OF  LIME, 

(•A  LARGE  PART  OF  WHICH  IS  SOLUBLE). 
Together  with  POTASH,  SODA,  and  other  valuable  ingredient^?,  makin?  a 


It  is  particularly  adapted  for  application  to  Tobacco  and  Corn,  and  the  demand 
from  farmers  who  are  using  it  on  general  crops,  -with  highly  satisfactory  results,  is 
a  sure  guaranty  of  its  value. 

Price  $56  per  ton  of  ten  bags,  200  pounds  each.  Delivered  at  any  part  of  New 
York  City. 

Address, 

THE  ALTA  VELA  GUANO  COMPANY, 

57  Broadway,  New  York, 


AMMONIATED 

SUPER -PHOSPHATE  OF  LIME. 

rATENTJ^D   AUGUST    11,  1803. 


MANUFACTURED  BY  THE 


PROVIDENCE.     R.  I. 


ALSO  MANUFACTURERS  OF 

Horsford's  Patent  Cream  of  Tartar, 
Eumford  Yeast  Powder, 

Horsford's  Bread  Preparation, 
Rumford  Blueing, 

Colors  and  Bleaching  Materials  for  Paper  Makers. 
Chemicals  for  Printers  and  Dyers,  and 
Bone  Black  for  Sugar  Refiners. 


WOliKS  IN  EAST  mOVIDENCB, 
At  rvJimfords  Station,  Boston  X-  ProvideHco  R.  R.,  and  Providence  Rirer 


Address  GEORGE  F.  WILSON,  Treas., 
Xos.        59  awA  60  So\\\\\   Water  Street, 


LiSTER  BROTHERS' 

COMPLETE  MANURE, 

AS  PER 

PSOF.  VILLE,  OF  FHANOE,  FORMULA. 

ALSO, 

FRUSH  B©MK 

SUPER. PHOSPHATE  OF  LIME. 

A  X  I) 

PURE  BOME  mEAl^. 

LISTER  BROTHERS, 
159    FRONT    STREET,    NEW  YORK. 

p.  S. — All  ordm-.-!  promptly  attended  to. 
June  a,  1808, 


fl 

PACIFIC  GUANO  COMPANY'S 

AMMONIATED  OR  SOLUBLE 


THE  BEST  TERTILIZER  AT  THE  LOWEST  PRICE. 


The  price  of  Ammoniated  or  Soluble  Guano  has  been  reduced  to  $55  per  tou , 
delivered  in  Boston  at  warehouse,  or  at  any  of  the  depots,  the  cost  of  drayage  being 
added. 

Thii  Guano  has  never  been  excelled,  if  equalled,  by  any  fertilizer  used  in  Kew 
England,  Southern,  or  Middle  States. 

The  large  resources  of  this  Company,  and  its  present  increased  facilities,  ena- 
ble it  to  do  in  this  respect  that  which  could  not  be  done  by  private  enterprise.  It  is 
the  policy  and  purpose  of  the  Company  to  furnish  the  country  with  the  best  conceyi- 
traied  fa  tilizcrthait  cixn  hQ  produced  from  known  sources,  by  the  combined  aid  of 
capital  and  enterprise,  at  the  very  lowest  possible  cost  to  consumers,  and  look  to 
large  consumption  and  permanence  of  trade  for  remuneration  on  capital  invested ; 
hence,  the  permanent  interests  of  the  Pacific  Guano  Company  are  identified  with 
the  general  interest  of  agriculture. 


GBXEBAL  AGBNTS  FOR  PACIFIC  GI  ANO  COMPANY: 

GEORGE  DAVENPORT,  145  Milk  Street,  Boston. 

  AND   

J.  S.  REESE  &  CO.,  Paltimore  and  Philadelphia. 


SPECIAL  AGENTS: 

DANIELS    &  COMPANY, 

No.  I  Patten's  Block,  Manchester,  N.H. 


1^  SOLD  BY  LOCAL  DEALERS  ALL  OVER  THE  NEW  ENGLAND  STATES. 
Circulars  containing  testimonials,  ^c,  to  be  had  on  application. 


EXCELSIOR  HORSE  HOE. 

Chandler's  Patent  Webb's  Improvement. 


Manufactured  and  for  sale  by  DUNHAM  &  CURRIER, 

No,  25   West  Market  Square,  Bangor,  Me. 
3,000  OF  THESE  HOES  ARE  IN  USE  WITHIN  25  MILES  OF  BANGOR, 

AND  THEY  GIVE  ENTIRE  SATISFACTION  ! 


The  EXCELSIOR  HORSE  HOE  is  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  in  Agri- 
cultural Implements  ever  invented.  It  is  cheap,  .simple,  and  durable.  It  can  be 
readily  adjusted  to  meet  the  requirements  of  different  soils,  and  is  easily  changed 
from  a  Furrowing  to  a  Covering,  Cultivating,  or  Hoeing  Machine.  It  can  be  used 
with  one  horse  or  two,  or  with  oxen,  as  may  be  desired.  It  furrows,  covers,  and 
hoes  crops  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner,  with  saving  of  labor  in  the  cultivation 
of  two  acres  equal  to  the  price  of  the  Hoe.  No  man  who  plants  half  an  acre  of 
land  can  afford  to  be  without  it.  One  man  and  a  boy  can  furrow  and  cover  from 
four  to  five  acres  per  day,  and  can  hoe  from  three  to  four  acres  per  day. 

All  orders  promptly  attended  to,  and  purchasers  furnished  with  full  directions 

for  using  the  Hoe. 


NEW    ENGLAND  LOOM. 


Self -Acting  and  Self- Quilling  Crank  Loom. 


THE  BEST  EVER  INVENTED!   MONEY- MAKING  AND   LABOR-SAVING  I 

NO  FARMER  SHOULD  BE  WITHOUT  IT 

And  everybody  admits  its  superiority  over  all  others. 

With  this  Loom  our  young  ladies  can  make  double  the  money  at  home  that  they 
could  to  go  into  factories  or  machine  shops. 

Any  intelligent,  smart  young  lady  can  weave  with  this  Loom  from  fifteen  to  thirty- 
five  yards  per  day.  The  whole  process  of  weaving  and  quilling  is  carried  on  simply 
by  turning  a  crank.    It  is  the  only  Loom  ever  put  in  the  market  which 

WILL  QUILL  AND  WEAVE  WITH  THE  SAME  MOTION. 

This  Loom  will  take  the  place  of  all  other  hand  Looms.  With  it  any  one  can 
Weave,  on  one  warp,  Jeans,  Satinets,  Linsey,  Tweed,  Blankets,  all  kinds  of  Wool 
Cloth  ;  also.  Flax,  Tow,  Cotton,  Towelling,  Table  Linen,  Seamless  Bags,  &c.  Its 
great  superiority  consists  in  the  fact  that  it 

Can  Weave  more  kinds  of  Cloth,  better  quality,  and  perform  the 
work  in  the  shortest  possible  time,  than  any  other. 

Although  this  Loom  is  only  a  yard  and  three  inches  wide,  it  will  weave  cloth  two 
yards  and  six  inches  wide  !  The  Loom  has  been  gotten  up  at  great  expense  of  time 
and  money  ;  and  the  proprietors  are  confident  that  they  now  offer  to  the  public 

The  Cheapest,  Most  Durable,  and  best  Loom  ever  invented ! 

All  orders  or  letters  addressed  to  D.  M.  DUNHAM,  Baagor,  Maine,  will  receive 
prompt  attention. 


This  article  Is  entirely  difTfcrcnt  from  any  otlicr  ovor  offered  to  the  public.  Its  composition  -nill 
vary,  and  contains  such  ingredients  only  as  the  tri  e,  fruit,  plant  or  crop  lor  viiich  it  is  intended 
rcqiiires;  Uicrel>y  enablinj,'  the  buyer  to  avoid  purchasing' a  large  quantity  of -what  he  does  not 
want,  in  order  to  pet  a  small  quantitj'  of  wliat  he  really  does  want,  wldcii  I  Isuow,  from  experi- 
ence, is  trui-  with  many,  if  not  all  of  the  phosphates  that  are  in  tlic  market.  Ko  fertilizi-r  can  be 
good  and  cheap  at  the  same  price  lor  two  croj  s  whose  constituents  aie  eniirely  ditierenr ;  it  may 
be  good  for  both,  but  must  l)e  dear  tor  one  or  the  other.  Kor  example,  if  a  phosphate  sliould  con- 
tain ingredients  that  would  be  cheap  lor  wheat,  at  any  given  price,  it  is  absurd  to  think  that  llie 
same  pliosphate  would  be  e(|ually  cheiip  at  the  same  price  t\iv  another  crop,  whose  consiituents 
are  entirely  diflcrent.  It  canmn  contain  ingredients  for  two  articles  of  an  entirely  dilfcj-cnt  na- 
ture in  such  proportions  as  to  be  e((ually  cheap  for  one  as  the  otlier  J  am  conlidcht  that  there  is 
a  great  deal  of  money  thrown  away  for  phosphates  of  diflcrent  kinds,  from  the  tact  that  they  did 
not  contain  what  the  <lesired  crop  needed;  and  in  many  cases  the  crops  would  have  been  i>etier 
without  it  at  all ;  while  if  the  same  article  had  bet  n  used  for  other  crops  of  a  dilt"  rent  nature,  it 
would  have  doubly  paid  for  its  cost.  I  have  been  carefijlly  experim  ;nting  for  several  vears,  and 
any  one  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  visit  my  farm  near  Ellisburg,  N.J.,  five  miles  froiii  Camden, 
wliete  1  am  constantly  experimenting,  may  see  where  I  pr  >duced  agrowtli  upon  I'each  and  Tear 
trees  of  six  feet  six  inciies  in  one  season,  and  fruit  upon  the  same  unsually  large  and  tine.  whiJe 
trees  right  alongside,  equally  good  in  eveiy  respect,  not  having  the  pliosphaie  on  them,  did  not 
ffrow  one  foot  in  the  same  time,  and  produced  no  fruit  at  all.  f  will  lie  prepared  to  lumish,  at 
short  notice,  a  phosphate  for  any  kind  of  fruit,— vine  or  tree  fruit,— and  all  ordimiry  plants  or 
crops  lhat  are  grown  in  this  country,  such  as  wheat,  rye,  corn,  grass,  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables. 

The  reader  will  pl«^ase  bear  in  mind  that  in  sending  orders,  the  article  lor  which  it  is  intended 
to  be  used  sil'st  kk  mkntionkd,  and  the  kind  of  soil  also,  if  you  wish  the  worth  of  your 
money.  As  I  have  said  before,  two  articles  of  an  entirely  ditlerent  nature  must  not  be  furnished 
with  the  same  kind  of  food  ;  the  article  I  prepare  for  grains  would  be  dear  at  half  its  cost  for 
fruit, — and  vice  versa. 

Price  of  Browning's  Excelsior  Phosphate  is  as  follows : 

For  Fruit  Trees  and  Grape  Vines,  SG5  per  toi!. 

For  all  other  Crops,  $GO'per  ton. 

Put  up  in  Barrels  contiining  from  27.i  to  325  lbs.  each. 
All  that  is  asked  is  a  fair  trial  alongside  of  any  other  Fertilizer  at  any  price,  Peru- 
vian Guano  not  cxcepled. 


BROWNING'S  INSECT  PREViENTIVE, 

For  the  protection  of  plants  against  the  ravages  of  tiie  bug  and  worm.  Al-so  benefi- 
cial as  a  fertilizer.   Tkn  CK.nts  peu  rorNi).    See  circulars  for  directions. 


ALSO    FOR  SALE, 

PERUVIAN    GUANO   AND   BONE  MEAL. 

Warranted  strictly  pure. 

Such  as  I  use  in  manufacturing  of  my  Pliosphate.  This  Bone  Dust  is  made  from 
bones  direct  from  slaughter-hou!?es,  containing  all  the  virtues  that  bones  possess.  It 
h  seldom  you  can  get  bone  dust  of  this  qualify.  Sample  will  be  sent  by  mail  on 
receipt  of  P.  0.  stamp.    It  is  as  fine  as  flour,  and  will  act  quickly. 

Bone  Dust  put  up  in  bags  of  200  pounds  each.    Price,  ${iO  per  ion. 

Orders  for  one  ton  and  upwards  delivered  in  Philadelphia  or  at  either  of  the  Cam- 
den depots  free  of  charge.  On  orders  for  a  less  quantity  a  reasonable  charge  for 
delivery  will  be  made. 

All  orders  must  be  addressed  to  the  manufacturer, 

GEO.  L.  BROWNING, 

20  Market  St.,  Camden,  N.  J. 

Full  directions  for  using  will  be  furnished.   Send  for  pamphlet. 


Morris'  Rukal  Advertiser,"  which  has  just  completed  its 
third  volume,  was  on  the  first  of  the  year,  1867,  increased  to 
double  its  former  size,  and  is  now  issued  monthly,  in  quarto  form, 
of  sixteen  pages  each,  under  the  title  of  the  "  Practical  Farmer" 
of  the  Middle  States. 

As  there  is  no  strictly  Agricultural  paper  in  either  of  the  great 
producing  States  of  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  or  Deleware,  while 
there  are  Agricaltural  and  Horticultural  papers  both  North  and 
South  of  them,  the  ''Practical  Farmer"  w*ill  aim  to  fill  up  this 
vacuum. 

The  great  dairy,  stock -producing  and  grain -growing  sections 
of  Pennsylvania ;  the  largely  extended  fruit  regions  of  New  Jer- 
sey, and  the  grain  and  truck  farms  of  Delaware,  will  be  properly 
represented,  together  with  everything  pertaining  to  the  Farm  and 
Garden,  Horticulture,  Floriculture,  Veterinary  Practice,  Live 
Stock,  and  every  department  of  "  Rural  Economy." 
Price,  $1.00  per  annum;  payable  in  advance. 
Published  by  PASCHALL  MORRIS, 

1120  Market  St.,  Philadelphia. 


GEORGE  MAZnr^ 

GRAPE  GROWER  AND  FLORIST, 

Merrimach  Street,  Concord,  N,  II, 

FLOWERS  FOR  FUNERALS,  WEDDINGS,  &c.,  &c., 

Stich  cut  Wreaths,  Crosses,  Bridal  Bouquets,  Cut  Howers, 
AND    EVERY    OTHER    DESIGN    GOT    UP   IN    TASTEFUL  MANNLR. 
SOLE  PROPRIETOR  OF  THE  MAIN  CRAPE. 

The  finest  Grape  that  is  now  grown  in  the  United  States  f«r  domestic  use. 


ROOFING! 


o  o    I  2sr  a- 

IN    ROLLS    READY    TO    BE    NAILED  DOWN. 


R  O  O  F  I  1^ 

COSTING  MUCH  LESS,  AND  MORE  DURABLE  THAN  TIN. 


R  O  O  F  I  N  C 

That  can  be  applied  by  any  ordinary  workman. 


R  o  o  F  I  Jisr  G- 

That  will  not  expand  or  contract  by  the  action  of  the  weather. 


ROOFING 

That  is  adapted  to  steep  or  flat  roofs. 


Send  for  sample  and  circular. 

READY  ROOFING  COMPANY, 

81  MAIDEN  LANE,  NEW  YOMK. 


AMERIG  AM 


SUBMERGED  PUMP, 


Admitted  by  all  to  be  the 


BEST    PUMP    IN    THE  MARKET. 


For  Power,  Capacity,  Durability,  Simplicity  and  Cheapness,  it  is  not  ex- 
celled by  any  Foux  Pump  heretofore  introduced  in  this  country.  It  is  adapted  to 
the  deepest  -tveH-^or-  shallowest  cistern .  It  is  easily"  set,  ""and  when  properly  adjusted 
will  last  for  years  without  repairs  or  resetting. 

■•  •  T-her€-fs  x&-p AGEING  whatever  about  the  Pump,  every  part  being  composed  of 
metal Wis  •  \ 

■       A  Ni  T  I  -  F  R  E  E  l  l  N  O    P  U  M  P  . 


The  severity  of  the  past  winter  tested  this  point  to  the  satisfaction  of  several 
hundred  owners  of  the  American  Submerged  Pump,  as  they  were  in  many  instances 
exposed  to  the  extreme  and  steady  cold  which  characterized  the  winters  of  1867  and 
'68 ;  and  we  have  yet  to  bear  of  a  single  instanci  of  freezing. 


A  e  ES  NTS, 


We'  want  good  'responsible  men  in'  ev'ery  town  in  New  England  not  already 
"taken  "to  act  as  a'gehts.  For  terms  to  agents  and  description  of  the  Americas 
'  Sbbmerge'd  Pump,  nith  piice  -  list  complete,  address  the 


N.    E:    PUMP    MANUFACTURING  COMPANY 


No,  1  FUTLOy  STREET,   BOSTON,  M^SS, 


W.  W.  WRIGHT,  Sec'y, 

p.  O.  Box  3036. 


FARMERS  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE! 


Carefully  examine  the  improved  Union  Mowrer  before  deciding  what  kind  you  will 
purchase.  If  you  want  a  well-built,  keliable,  LiGHT-DBApr  machine,  one  that 
wiil  not  keep  you  constantly  sending  to  the  blacksmith's  or  an  agent  for  repairs, 
take  the  Union  Mower,  it  has  been  before  the  public  seven  years,  and  has  estab- 
lished a  belter  reputation  than  any  other  ever  introduced.  Carefully  collected  sta- 
tistics show  that  the  average  cost  of  keeping  a  Union  Mower  in  repair  is  really  not 
more  than  o.ne-third  as  much  as  it  costs  to  keep  any  other  leading  machine  in 
REPAIR,  while  the  cost  of  keeping  some  kinds  in  repair  is  from  50  to  100  per  cent. 
moke 


Eight  successive  years  of  use  has  demonstrit*^  the  fact  that  the 

WHITCOIIIB  RAKZ: 

Is  the  best  horse  hay-rake  ever  invented.  Scores  of  SQ-called  "  improved  rakes  " 
have  been  put  into  the  market,  lived  their  brief  day,  and  disappeared,  while  the 
Whitcomb  rake  has  constantly  increased  in  favor,  so  much  so  that,  for  Ave  years 
past,  we  have  not  been  able  to  supply  the  demand,  although  increased  facilities  for 
manufacture  have  been  added,  and  a  large  number  built  in  each  year.  New  im- 
provements have  been  added  and  it  is  now,  as  ever,  the  best  rake  in  the  market. 

No  farmer  who  buys  a  Union  Mower  or  Whitcomb  Rake  will  have  occasion  to 
regret  his  choice. 

For  circulars  or  information,  address  the  proprietor, 

THOS.  H.  DODGE,  Worcester,  Mass. 


RODNEY  M.  ROLLINS,  Agt.,  Manchester,  N,  H. 


